112 
35, Jahresber. Dt. Hydrogr. Inst. 1980 
further Decca, Loran-C, and Omega charts, A special chart pub 
lication for pleasure craft "Karten der Elbe, von Helgoland his 
Hamburg" (Charts of the Elbe, from Heligoland to Hamburg) was 
issued. In the more extensive projects, the new charts of the 
Adriatic Sea and the Aegean Sea were completed and work on the 
charts of the western and Mediterranean coasts of France, the 
Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean continued. In the graphic de 
partment further progress was made on the changeover to phototype 
setting. 
For hydrographic surveying, approximately 17,300 nautical miles 
of sounding lines were run by the Survey and Research Vessel 
"Komet" and the Survey Vessel "Siideroog" in the North Sea and 
the Baltic. The Survey and Wreck Search Vessels "Atair" and 
"Wega" examined 143 known wrecks in the North Sea and the Baltic, 
as well as positions where the presence of underwater obstruc 
tions was suspected. 11 new wrecks were discovered in the pro 
cess . 
The Research Vessel "Meteor", operated by the DHI and utilized 
jointly by the DHI and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DfG) 
(German Research Association), undertook three cruises. On the 
53rd cruise, geophysical investigations were made and research 
was carried out into the relationships between sediments as well 
as between sea currents and geological movements off the coast 
of Morocco. The purpose of the 54th cruise was geophysical in 
vestigations at the continental fringes around the Faroe Islands 
and at corresponding positions of the Greenland Shelf. During 
the 55th cruise radiological measurements were carried out in 
the North Sea. Since October 1980 "Meteor" has been participa 
ting in the international BIOMASS*) ecological research program 
me concerning the waters of the Antarctic. 
On 6 May, 1980, the DHI took over the new Research Vessel "Gauß" 
from the Sc hlichting-Werft in Travemünde. After undergoing tests 
at sea, "Gauß" untertook 12 cruises to the North Sea and the Bal 
tic for the purpose of oceanographic and geological investiga 
tions, monitoring seawater for toxic substances, and type-testing 
of radio navigation installations. Testing of the Grim's propel 
lor carried out by the Hamburgische Schiffbau-Versuchsanstalt 
resulted in a considerable reduction in driving power compared 
with conventional ships' drives. 
The oceanographic investigations concentrated mainly on toxic 
substances in seawater. With the help of numerical models, it 
was intended to provide information about the mechanism govern 
ing the spreading of harmful substances in the North Sea and the 
Atlantic. In connection with this, practical field work was car 
ried out on expeditions with the Research Vessels "Meteor" and 
"Gauß". The putting into service of the North Sea buoy II at a 
position Northwest of the research platform "Nordsee" represented 
a further step towards establishing a network of oceanographic 
*) Biological Investigations of Marine Antarctic Systems and 
Stocks